1. Field
The present application relates generally to the distribution of data over a data network, and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for enhanced delivery of content over a data network.
2. Background
Data networks, such as wireless communication networks, have to trade off between services customized for a single terminal and services provided to a large number of terminals. For example, the distribution of multimedia content to a large number of resource limited portable devices (subscribers) is a complicated problem. Therefore, it is very important for network administrators, content retailers, and service providers to have a way to distribute content and/or other network services in a fast and efficient manner for presentation on networked devices.
In current content delivery/media distribution systems, real time and non real time services are packed into a transmission frame and delivered to devices on a network. For example, a communication network may utilize Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) to provide communications between a network server and one or more mobile devices. This technology provides a transmission frame having data slots that are packed with services to be delivered and transmitted over a distribution network.
Unfortunately, conventional systems may pack the services into the transmission frame in a very inefficient manner. For example, the services may be packed in a way that wastes available bandwidth, or requires a receiving device to utilize significant power to receive the content. For example, a device may be required to wake up (i.e., power up its receiving logic) for long time intervals to receive the content, or may be required to wake up at frequent intervals to receive the content. In either case, such inefficient packing leads to devices utilizing more battery power, which can degrade device standby times.
Therefore, what is needed is a system to efficiently transmit content over a data network that overcomes the problems of conventional systems, and thereby allows receiving devices to receive the content in a power efficient manner.